The relaxing rural environment offers an effective remedy for alleviating the anxiety and stress of young people in big cities, the report said.

The requirements of the younger generation have also helped diversify rural tourism activities such as hiking, camping, parent-child study tours, agricultural experiences, and photography.

More than 500 new rural tourism product categories emerged last year, data from Trip.com Group show.

Wang Wenqing, who is in her 50s and comes from Henan, has made regular visits to rural homestays in Linzhou in the north of the province to acquaint travelers with the button-knotting technique, a local traditional cultural heritage item.

In 2017, Wang opened her own art workshop, but struggled to make ends meet due to the cost of raw materials and labor.

The tourism boom in surrounding villages helped spread the news of her button-knotting work to travelers from outside the area.

"This was especially the case after the local government encouraged intangible cultural heritage items to be bought from homestays," she said.

Wang, who has received steady orders for her work, earns about 10,000 yuan a month, providing her with the funds to invest in button-knotting creations.

Li Shenglong, an official at the culture, radio, television, and tourism bureau in Ganzhou, Jiangxi province, said rural culture, including ancient architecture and intangible cultural heritage, is the "soul of rural tourism".

"Developing such tourism requires cultural empowerment, exploring the historical and cultural heritage of each village, and identifying core competitiveness," Li said.

"It is important to focus on cultural and creative planning, and provide quality tourism services to enhance the overall visitor experience."